Kibana Logstash ElasticSearch | Unindexed fields cannot be searched

Question

I am exploring ELK stack and coming across an issue.

I have generated logs, forwarded the logs to logstash, logs are in JSON format so they are pushed directly into ES with only JSON filter in Logstash config, connected and started Kibana pointing to the ES.

Logstash Config:

 filter {
  json {
    source => "message"
  }

Now I have indexes created for each day's log and Kibana happily shows all of the logs from all indexes.

My issue is: there are many fields in logs which are not enabled/indexed for filtering in Kibana. When I try to add them to the filer in Kibana, it says "unindexed fields cannot be searched".

Note: these are not sys/apache log. There are custom logs in JSON format.

Log format:

{"message":"ResponseDetails","@version":"1","@timestamp":"2015-05-23T03:18:51.782Z","type":"myGateway","file":"/tmp/myGatewayy.logstash","host":"localhost","offset":"1072","data":"text/javascript","statusCode":200,"correlationId":"a017db4ebf411edd3a79c6f86a3c0c2f","docType":"myGateway","level":"info","timestamp":"2015-05-23T03:15:58.796Z"}

fields like 'statusCode', 'correlationId' are not getting indexed. Any reason why?

Do I need to give a Mapping file to ES to ask it to index either all or given fields?

Dynamic

You should try adding an index template with custom fields definitions. – Myranda

I tried it. I still see my fields unindexed. When I go to Visualize and try to choose Term Filter for X/Y axis, not all fields are showing up in there. This is getting bit frustrating for me to get it working now, as I don't see much documentation/reference about it. – Dynamic

Answer 1

You've updated the Kibana field list?

1. Kibana.
2. Settings.
3. Reload field list.

Newer version:

1. Kibana.
2. Management.
3. Refresh icon on the top right.

Hydroxyl

Worked for me too. Thanks! – Osyth

Should be a new step inserted before 3 under Newer Version: "Index Patterns" – Mason

Still doesn't work for me.... – Bereft

If you are using Opensearch (currently 2.7): Navigation > Stack Management > Index Patterns > click the index pattern > click the Refresh Field List icon - the count of number of fields should increase. – Assessment

Answer 2

As of 6.4.0:

The warning description puts it very simply:

Management > Index Patterns > Select your Index > Press the refresh button in the top right corner.

Fusible

Answer 3

On the newer version (2023), you need to update the Kibana field list from here:

1. Management
2. Stack Management
3. Index Patterns
4. Choose the pattern
5. Hit the button "Refresh field list"

Adieu

Answer 4

If you try to refresh and you can't solve it try to change index.blocks.write: "false"

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Anachronistic